Director Christina Sheehan’s staging of this cult favorite coming-of-age rock musical shines the looking glass on a group of high school students and their struggles at their private catholic boarding school. Interwoven around a play within a play of Romeo & Juliet, this story of a young group of “fortune’s fools” is both timeless and timely. Join our modern star-crossed lovers as they struggle to come to terms with who they are and who the world thinks they should be and seek answers from their church, their friends, and ultimately from within themselves. “I defy you stars”.

For more information on the production contact Jonathan Emerson at jonathanemerson2000@yahoo.com or visit www.queensshakespeare.com

BARE is presented through special arrangement with and all authorized performance materials are supplied by Theatrical Rights Worldwide, 1180 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 640, New York, NY 10036. www.theatricalrights.com

About the Company: Queens Shakespeare, Inc.

Founded in 2005, Queens Shakespeare is a blend of professional and educational theatre which produces 2 full-length classical plays each year in Queens County, New York. The aim of the company is to engage the entire community in its theatrical projects with professional actors in leading roles who will act as mentors for both students and community members

Get ready for a journey to the “red planet” in this sexy, new comedy with a psychedelic twist. When two astronauts crash land on Mars, they discover life, and it’s not what we thought. Amid a host of delightfully politically-incorrect supernatural and iconic characters, the travelers attempt a perilous escape. A play full of laughs, original music, burlesque, dance and aerial arts, God of Marz is a sizzling sci-fi world all its own.

Created by Rachel A. Shaw with original music by Mark Lazeski. Glenn Girón directs and choreographs a cast of six, including Rachel Sheen, Ray Fanara, Laura Leigh Carroll, Adam Chisnall, Chandler Converse, and Linnea Gregg, with a special appearance by Chad Rosenthal (Bway: Mamma Mia!) as the Sandman.

“God of Marz has become a commentary on human pride, vanity, feminism and our need to feel important, because I think big egos (mine included) are funny,” stated playwright Rachel Shaw. “Setting the play in a space world with kooky characters, nightclub-style lighting and an original soundtrack inspired by “A Clockwork Orange” reflects the absurdity of today’s egocentric ideologies. It’s a wild ride!”

From Director Glenn Girón
“For me, theater is here to straighten out a community's moral compass; sometimes by holding up a mirror to the audience, sometimes by showing them the lives of people they'd otherwise never take a moment to understand. I like a good farce because if there's heart to it, you're laughing, and laughing and then BOOM! A lesson; A question you never would have asked yourself, and your forced to wrestle with the answer. I think God of Marz asks some questions most wouldn't stop to ask, and in my 'adaptation' I'm infusing some heart into it to keep the audience close to the characters while still working hard to maintain the fun, sexy, sarcastic vibe that the tech and the music and the dancing evokes! It's a sexy, absurd riot! But one that hopefully makes ya think!”

Paralyzed by the fear of getting old, Paul is a legendary, lonely, alcoholic painter engaging in reckless behavior as his younger actor-turned-agent, David, struggles to return Paul to his former glory. These soulmates face their demons together, creating a strong and volatile bond leading each to perform desperate acts of love.

“With groups of people like the LGBTQ community being marginalized by the Alt-Right, the time is ripe for artists to share their perspectives about these issues,” states playwright Stuart Fail. “I hope that my play can offer a look at real people with real problems who would otherwise never get the time of day from a cold and closed society.”

About the Company: House Red Theatre Company

House Red Theatre: Touching Hearts and Raising Awareness since 1998. A good vintage. We strive to tell stories that enable the audience to see the world around them, and to bridge the gaps in our lives that drive us apart.

This contemporary staging of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy, set in 1905 with Lear as the CEO of a major corporation, revamps a tale of a king who decides to divide his kingdom between three daughters. He seeks to give the greatest share to the daughter that loves him the most. Lear, however, is blinded by pride and to the true intentions of those around him. His kingdom begins to drown in a sea of deceit and trepidation. The consequences of his kingdom’s downward spiral reveal the worst and best parts of human nature itself. Sorvino’s adaptation, in which he plays the title role, begins filming on a full-length feature this year. The reading will highlight Sorvino’s technique in interpreting classical text.

Ticket holders will be welcomed by a step-and-repeat beginning at 7pm before enjoying the exclusive staged reading presentation followed by a talkback with the cast and members of SSC. A catered cocktail party will cap the evening with cuisine from The Hourglass Tavern, pastries by pastry chefs Sam Householder as well as Lauren Finley of Finley Confections, Coffee Roaster from Parkside Café owner Tim Tate, and beer selections provided by Brooklyn Brewery.

Tickets for SSC’s 2014 Fundraiser Gala are $100 each and can be purchased through SSC’s website at www.shrunkenshakespeare.com. All proceeds will go toward SSC’s 2014-2015 season, which will include productions of Chekhov's 3 Sisters,Kill Shakespeare, and a Shakespeare play to be announced.

In addition to a film version of “Lear” scheduled to begin production later this year, Paul Sorvino can be seen in an upcoming episode of the CBS series “Elementary,” starring Lucy Liu. Sorvino has appeared in 110 films, and a variety of TV and theatrical productions over the last four decades. In 1974, he played Gloucester in a notable production of “King Lear” alongside James Earl Jones and Raul Julia for The New York Shakespeare Festival. Other notable performances include Paul Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” (1990) alongside Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Ray Liotta, Henry Kissinger in Oliver Stone’s “Nixon” (1 995), and Fulgencio Capulet in Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet “ (1996), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

About the Company: Shrunken Shakespeare Company

"We, the Shrunken Shakespeare Company, have a clear yet convoluted purpose. It is our mission to take a classical theatre piece, (primarily Shakespeare) and shorten it, devise it, turn it over, scramble it up, and throw it in the air. Then, we put it on the stage in a way that you've never thought of.

Shrunken Shakespeare Company's goal is to create ensemble driven Classical Plays that are relatable to a younger modern audience and incorporate many types of performance, while still staying true to the text. It is our mission to take Classical Plays, reduce them to edited hour and a half to two hour versions, and perform them in environments that affect every aspect of the production. Thus, each play chosen will depend on the space it is being performed in. From that point on the play will be dependent on that environment; everything from costumes and lighting to casting requirements, music and dance requirements, the concept of the show, and maybe even what type of drinks are served! "

Happily After Tonight is set in a world, not unlike our own, except in this world, their celebrities aren't Brad and Angelina. They're fairy tale characters. When the story opens, it's been 10 years since the Wolf attacked Red Riding Hood, and things have changed quite a bit. Red owns a bar where her sister Alice, a constant tabloid fixture due to her partying, sometimes works. Aurora, the famous Sleeping Beauty, has just woken up, and paparazzi are following her everywhere. But, all is not well. Someone is killing off one fairy tale character at a time. Happily After Tonight is a tongue-in-cheek send-up of maddening celebrity culture.

La Strada tells the story of a fey and innocent young woman, Gelsomina, who is sold to a brutish man, Zampano, who works as a traveling showman. She joins him on the road as a part of his act, enduring physical and emotional pain along the way. Trouble erupts when the pair joins a traveling circus, where they meet a clown who secretly falls in love with the woman. What will happen when Zampano realizes the clown's intentions towards Gelsomina? Will she stay with him, even if that means further enduring his maltreatments?

The youngest writing team in this year’s festival, David Levinson (music / lyrics) and Stacey Weingarten (book) have created a chanson and Arab-influenced score and libretto forLes Enfants de Paris. The streets of Paris are not safe after young Pierre Frollo’s love for a fiery Muslim refugee sparks a series of cataclysmic events in this riveting musical about love and relationships, which re-sets Victor Hugo’s Notre Dame de Paris amongst the disenfranchised youth and xenophobia of France 1958, and the Algerian War for Independence.

Having performed magic shows at birthday parties throughout the New York City living room circuit, JUST LIKE MAGIC is the chance to see this talented performer live.

But this is no ordinary magic show…

Christopher T. Magician and his entourage have been hired to perform at a child’s birthday party, but the show turns decidedly dark as Christopher suffers a complete mental breakdown in front of his young audience. Think “Blue’s Clues” meets “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”! What begins as a fun magic show featuring toe-tapping songs, comedy, and puppetry ends with dead puppets and children scarred for life in this decidedly not-for-kids musical. (Oh and there’s magictricks. Super Awesome Magic Tricks!)

Additionally, in the style of The [title of show] show, the creativeteam behind JUST LIKE MAGIChave launched: OPERATION: SUTTON, a multi-part YouTube video campaign featuring Christopher T. Magician asking, begging, pleading, even bribing two time Tony Award winning Broadway star Sutton Foster, to behis date to the NYMF opening night gala on September 26. Will Ms. Foster say yes? Will she even know the campaign is going on? Who knows….

The award-winning JUDITH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY NYC, founded in 1995, returns to the NYC stage – for their first full Shakespeare production in six years! – with the gender-reversed romantic comedyTwo Gentlemen of Verona,August 4-22 at TBG Theatre (312 West 36th Street). JSC Artistic Director Joanne Zipay directs this comedy of youthful love and passion, betrayal and heartbreak, friendship and forgiveness. Tickets are $25 at SMARTTIX or at the door(Reservations strongly suggested, as seating is limited.) This production is made possible by the generous support of the New York State Council on the Arts, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Mr. Charles E. Bockwith and JSC’s individual donors.

“Even so by love the young and tender wit

Is turned to folly…” Act 1, Scene 1

Love. Love. Love.

Proteus loves Julia - and Julia loves Proteus.

Valentine loves Silvia - and Silvia loves Valentine.

Valentine and Proteus are best friends.

Love. Love. Love.

But wait! - Now Proteus loves Silvia, his best friend’s girl – passionately!

– and he’s about to betray everything he’s ever known about “love.”

JSC returns joyously to clowning in their first full Shakespeare production in six years! Featuring the company’s signature gender-reverse casting for the first time in a romantic comedy -- with a splash of commedia dell’arte, live music, and heck, even a real live dog! It doesn’t get much more fun than this.

In JSC’s Two Gents, the women portray the men and the men portray the women. The cast features Sheila Joon as Proteus, Alvin Chan as Julia, Rachael Hip-Flores as Valentine, Hunter Gilmore as Silvia, Alexandra Devin as Lance, Suzanne Hayes as Speed, Marie Bridget Dundon as the Duke of Milan, Bill Galarno as Lucetta/Outlaw, Amy Driesler as Turio, Natasha Yannacanedo as Sir Eglamour/Antonio/Outlaw, Peggy Suzuki as Pantino/Host/Outlaw, and Candide as Crab the dog.

Two Gents will feature an original guitar score, performed live each night by its composer, Austin Moorhead. The eclectic look of the show, influenced by a “modern commedia” aesthetic, is designed by Ashley Betton (Costumes), Joshua David Bishop (Sets), and Lois Catanzaro (Lights). Supporting the work of the cast and director are JSC’s own Elizabeth Mozer (Movement Coach), Jane Titus (Cross-Gender Consultant), Dan O’Driscoll (Fight Choreographer), and Alithea Phillips (Voice Coach).

“…a passion and mastery of the text which is awe-inspiring.” -- British Theatre Guide 2002

A friendly competion to see who has the best one-minute comedic monologue. Watch 40 actors compete for well-over $1000 in industry prizes. The competition is full, but audience seats still remain. Come network with actors and industry. 5 Industry Judges select the five finalists and the audience selects the winner from the 5 finalists. A major networking event. All-Comedy! Wine & Cheese Networking party following event!

A story about transformation and taking chances, Love, Incorporated follows Faith Stillman, a young entrepreneur, as she makes the leap into the dating scene after years of climbing the corporate ladder, roping in the unlikely companions of her head-turning, sassy neighbor and an out-of-work actor. After years of playing it nice as the smart, sweet, and seriously single career woman, Faith Stillman did what any ordinary gal would do to find a date in the big city: create a business plan and incorporate.Phase 1: "Research & Development." Rent a Midtown office. Hire assistants.Phase 2: "Determine strategic initiatives." Generate a dossier on Dream Man. Dye hair blonde & buy heels. Phase 3: "Dinner Date." Finesse the buyer. Sing a musical number.

With twists and turns right down to the very end, this fresh, fast-paced and fiercely-funny musical comedy takes a brand-new approach on a not-so classic love story.

Rajiv Joseph's adaptation of noted writer and political activist Tariq Ali's acclaimed book, The Leopard and the Fox is a Machiavellian political drama that follows the last days ofZulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Pakistan's first popularly elected Prime Minister, betrayed by his closest confidante, his army chief General Zia ul Haq, who imprisoned and then executed Bhutto in1979, installing himself as the President at the behest of the US. In a remarkably astute piece of timing, the adaptation contextualizes these historical events with Pakistan's rapidlychanging political landscape as the world remains transfixed at the reported comeback of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's daughter Benazir Bhutto from exile as Prime Minister to share power with the present military ruler, Pervez Musharraf, who has become a political liability.

The Leopard and the Fox originally written as a BBC screenplay in 1985 was never produced because of the politically sensitive nature of the story as the US exerted pressure on the BBC to censor it.